1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control system for a sewing machine. In particular, the present invention relates to a technique by which even in a state where a control system is not connected to an embroidery sewing machine, an operator can experience a setting process for various parametrical items on an embroidering operation and a sewing process with a simulation screen on a display as if the control system is connected to the embroidery sewing machine.
2. Description of Related Art
Various sewing-machine control systems and embroidery sewing machine systems have been proposed and put into practice. Each of those systems is arranged such that a sewing-machine control system made up of a personal computer is connected by wires to an embroidery sewing machine equipped with an embroidering system. The control system sends stitch data (sewing data) for each stitch as well as various control commands to the embroidery sewing machine to control the embroidery sewing machine.
One of those systems is disclosed in Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. Hei. 5-76670, in which an embroidering process controller is connected to four embroidering devices by way of communication lines. Various parametrical items on the embroidering operation are set in those embroidering devices through the operation of the embroidering process controller. Therefore, sewing data on preselected stitch patterns may be sent to the respective embroidering devices from the embroidering process controller.
When the embroidering process controller is turned ON in a state that four embroidering devices are connected to the embroidering process controller, a display device of the controller displays an initial screen (menu screen) containing the following items: 1. Initial, 2. Quick embroidery, 3. Monogram, and so on. The various parameters on those display items are set in the descending order; 1. Initial, 2. Quick embroidery, . . . . When the item "1. Initial" is executed, a "screen-splitting setting screen" is presented. The number of split screens is set in accordance with the number of embroidering devices to be driven. The embroidering process controller receives device-type data from the related embroidering devices, and displays the device-type data.
When the item "2. Quick embroidery" is executed, embroidery patterns can be chosen, which are to be sewn by the embroidering devices that were set in the item "1. Initial".
In this type of the sewing-machine control system, when no power is supplied to the embroidering devices, it is impossible not only to execute the sewing process but also to set various items on the sewing process, e.g., to set a sewing area.
Incidentally, an information transmission system for a sewing machine is disclosed in Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. Hei. 7-194880. In this system, a computer is connected to a plurality of embroidering devices, through communication lines. Sewing data and control data are formed using the computer, and sent to the embroidering devices. The computer receives control status signals from the embroidering devices, and statistically or collectively processes those signals to produce information on the production efficiency of each embroidering device and other information necessary for various production managements.
As stated above, the sewing-machine control system using the embroidering process controller connected to four embroidering devices by way of communication lines as disclosed in Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. Hei. 5-76670, suffers from a problem in that the embroidering process controller is operable for the setting of various parametrical items and the sewing process (see the above setting description on item 1. Initial, 2. Quick embroidery, . . .) only when the controller is connected to the embroidering devices and the power is supplied to the embroidering devices. There is a case where the embroidering process controllers, while being separated from the embroidering devices, are installed in a training room, for example, to train factory workers to learn the skill of operating the sewing-machine control system. In this case, the initial screen is displayed, but the controller rejects the access thereto and disables the setting of most of the parametrical items (menu items) on the initial screen. The controller also rejects the execution of the sewing process. For this reason, the factory workers cannot experience the setting process and the sewing process in association with the items displayed on the screens, e.g., the number of stitches, error messages, and others.
A possible solution to cope with this problem is to connect one embroidering process controller to one embroidery sewing machine. However, this solution is impractical in view of cost and occupying space in a situation where a plurality of embroidering process controllers are used for the training of a number of trainees since the number of embroidery sewing machines equal to that of the embroidering process controllers are required.